Surprise picture



(No Model.)

0. NELSON. SURPRISE PICTURE.

Patented Feb. 4, 1890 m l/E/VTOI? Ck arlea" Jilsam.

(fMW.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NELSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SURPRISE PICTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,582, dated February 4, 1890.

Application filed March 14., 1889. Serial No. 303,285. (No model.)

lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of pictures in which an ignition is caused at a certain point of the picture, which ignition, after traveling a certain distance, causes an eX- plosion at another point of the picture, as set forth in the following specification and claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a picture before ignition. Fig. 2 shows a picture after ignition. Fig. 3 1s a section taken along the line of the combustible and explosive sections, Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The path of the combustion is along the section A B, starting from a suitable point, such as the representation of the muzzle or mouth of a fire-arm, and ending by setting off the explosive section or part 0, upon which an explosion ensues. The section Ais made slowly combustible and the sectionB rapidly combustible, so that the combustion at first travels slowly toward section O and then travels rapidly toward said point.

By making the section Aso thatit willburn through the picture and the section B so that it will burn only on one side of the picture without burning through and without being visible from the other side, Fig. 2, the combustion will at first be visible and then sud denly disappearing it will appear again with an explosion, thus producing a startling effect. The explosion can be made to tear away part of the picture.

The sections A B O can be produced of any suitable substance or compound. I have found good results to be obtained by making the section A of a solution of about one part, by weight, of saltpeter and about ten parts, by weight, of water, which is laid on the picture with abrush, and the section B of fulminate of silver diluted with about its own weight of gu1n-tragacanth, while the section 0 is composed of fulminate of silver. The fulininate of silver and gum-tragac'anth forming the section 13 burn on one side of the picture, but without burning through.

The sections A B O are preferably laid on the rear side of the'picture, so as not to mar the face of the picture prior to the combustion. The picture can be produced on one side of common paper and the combustible sections secured to the opposite side of the paper. The order in which the sections are arranged may depend upon fancy, the rapidly combustible section being made to follow or to precede'the slowly-combustible section, or several slowly and rapidly combustible sections being made to alternate with one another. The ignition can be started by touching a lighted tinder or slow match to the section A.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A surprise picture havinga slowly-combustible section, a rapidly-combustible section connected at one point to the slowlycombustible section, and an explosive section operated by one of said sections, substantially as described.

2. A surprise picture having a portion or section composed of slowly-combustible material, a rapidlycombustible material arranged to burn upon one side of the picture and connected with the slowly-combustible section, and an explosive section operated by one of said materials, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand-in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES NELSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. HAUFF, KATIE M. KAsTENHUBER. 

